3:3to 3:6 Dempsey & Makepeace: A toe in the water
by haveunotthought
Summary: Dipping in and out of the story lines we see in 3.3 to 3.6 Harry and James make forays into relationships
1. Chapter 1

"Hiya honey, hard day at the office" Dempsey anticipated trouble but did nothing to mitigate it as he bit into the apple.

As so often happened Makepeace was flooded with incredulity "You made a lot of assumptions coming here"

"Why? 'You expecting someone?" Dempsey never seemed to attempt to make life easier, never did he let an ounce of apology creep into his words but he had hoped for a little more sympathy "Are we talking about the warrant?" he ventured

"The warrant, the fact that you're a fugitive and I'm a police officer. We're talking about duty, my duty to arrest you"

Boy she could keep a stony face when she wanted thought Dempsey, well he was ready to argue this one out: "What about loyalty, you ever heard about loyalty - like between partners" he challenged

"In sickness and health"

"Damn right"

"Til death sentence do us part"

"I do"

"Damn it Dempsey this is serious"

"What's serious my neck or your pension?"

"Give me one half decent reason why I shouldn't arrest you"

"Try innocent" Dempsey leaned forward in earnest and back as he waited, life is a bitch he thought "come on Harry you're all I got" well it would be if his partner didn't believe him

Harry cursed herself, she knew exactly what she was going to say and do and felt strangely powerless to do otherwise "Ok you can stay one night" there she'd capitulated as she had known she would; mustering every scrap of will power from within she continued "then you're on your own"

Dempsey sat back his relief palpable, Harry didn't move. Despite all his unorthodox and questionable practices she really didn't think Dempsey was guilty and obviously neither did Spikings.

They both sat in a long moment of silence as the tension dissipated, Dempsey deliberately nudged his foot against Harry; she ignored him. His socked toes ran from her knee downward and shifting her position Harry stretched her legs forward and just out of his reach, the pouffe acting as the chaste divider.

Dempsey retreated with a sulk; Harry noted it and a glimmer of a grin started to grow. Her surreptitious glance in his direction was mistimed though and her gaze was trapped by Dempsey's eyes. The battle of 'stare' was only broken as both gave in to the giggle that rose from within.

"Wine?" Dempsey offered jumping up

Harry followed him into the kitchen; she watched Dempsey take a glass from the cupboard and the bottle of Sauvignon Blanc from her fridge; he proffered the full glass as if he were the home owner and a tingle ran down her spine.

Makepeace exhaled slowly "I'm hungry" she reflected as she sipped one of her favourite French white wines

"You wanna phone for a take out?" Dempsey asked brightly

"Did you leave your brain in Spikings office as well as your gun?"

Dempsey looked flummoxed

"Your best friend Lacy will have one of his lackeys watching and questioning delivery boys"

Dempsey screwed his mouth up as he considered the point, it was good and thus he kept silent

Harry rolled her eyes and sighed, she volunteered to cook and as she opened her fridge added "if you've not eaten everything"

"I lit the fire, chilled the wine" Dempsey protested

"Well now you're here pass me some rice" Harry indicated to the cupboard on the far left as she started to chop some onion

Dempsey opened the door and read the labels "' you want rice or rice or rice?" he asked "Hell I never knew there were so many sorts of rice"

"So what do you buy?" Harry asked as she moved in front of him to take down the box of Arborio Rice

"Me?" Dempsey deliberately reached up to the shelf as well so that Harry became trapped by his larger body mass; he shuffled the packets, reading the labels as he purposefully prolonged the time he was reaching over her "Nah you don't seem to have my one" he surmised as he tidied the packets back

"Dempsey you're pushing your luck!" Harry warned

Dempsey stood back, releasing Makepeace; he hoiked himself onto the work surface next to her and prepared to watch. She deftly chopped some garlic and started to fry the base.

Makepeace was very aware of Dempsey's presence "you don't have to watch me" she protested "you can watch the TV"

"Ain't nothing on"

"How do you know?"

"It's Britain – you don't have enough channels to have anything on"

"We have quality TV with the BBC"

"You have Eastenders"

"You exported Dallas!"

"Just goes to prove my point – there ain't anything on TV" Dempsey smiled in satisfaction "anyway I'm watching you" Harry tipped the rice into the frying pan "whoa I don't fry my rice raw – does that work?" Dempsey leaned over with interest "Uncle Ben just boils his in the bag"

Makepeace rolled her eyes "Pass me the wine". She tipped half the remaining wine from the bottle onto the rice and quickly searched for her stock; Dempsey watched in appreciation, a little for her culinary skills, mainly for her looks and her body all of which he was taking his pleasure from.

"Tell you what – you can do the mushrooms" Harry suggested in desperation to redirect his gaze; noting the distinct lack of response she placed a selection of mushrooms in front of Dempsey "wash, rip and cook in a little butter" she instructed

Dempsey stood with his pot on the ring next to the rice; he bumped his hips against Harry's "Well here we are til death do us part partner" He started to stir the risotto and the resultant smacked hand drew a smile. Harry suggested he could go but Dempsey insisted that if she was in charge of the rice the mushrooms were his responsibility

"Dempsey I may be forced to shoot you" Harry protested as she fetched some soaked Porcini mushrooms to add

"There are some pretty weird mushrooms here Sergeant – how do you know they're not poisonous?"

"They come from Waitrose" was her condescending reply

"Well if they are and you fall into an enchanted sleep I'll wake you with a kiss" Dempsey wrapped his arm across Harry's shoulder

"What the!" Makepeace looked with disbelief wondering where that sideball had come from "If they're poisonous Dempsey firstly you will die too and secondly I don't want a kiss just an ambulance!" she announced as she slipped out of his embrace "For goodness sake you set the table and open another bottle and I'll finish the cooking"

"Yes maam"

Harry woke to see a note on her pillow; she tipped it left then right as she struggled to work out his indecipherable scribble of mixed case, it read:

"THaNks FoR THe cookiNG LEssoN; I NEEd some cash – 300 sHouLD do, I'LL sEE You aT THE RoYaL ALBERT AT 11


	2. Chapter 2

It didn't take any detective work to guess where they would find Dempsey; Chas had been like a cat on a hot tin roof arriving fully dressed into the beleaguered SI10 offices. The Harris Strang building project was in Deptford facilitating a five minute window for stopping off in Camberwell Grove en route to the church.

Dempsey tried to shave but in his haste nicked his skin three times. Harry threw on a dress and twisted her hair up; Dempsey leapt down the stairs two at a time she passed him his jacket, he slipped the ring into the inner pocket and proceeded to tie his cravat as they ran out to the car.

"Damn" Dempsey moaned as he felt the unequal folds of his tie; he and Harry were sitting in the back of the rolls. The car drew away from Camberwell Grove and Harry leaned across to Dempsey and retied his cravat "There" she declared now just get rid of those… she pulled the white tissue paper off of Dempsey's chin and observed with a satisfied sigh "You scrub up quite well"

Dempsey watched Harry slip her earrings into place, open up her compact and tease her fringe "You don't do so bad either" he admitted but Harry was processing something. She studied his face with an intensity that made Dempsey shuffle uneasily.

"You've shaved" she repeated

"I'm best man at Chas' wedding"

"What with" she demanded sticking doggedly to her line of questioning

"A razor"

"Facetious" Harry replied dryly

"Seems to me you don't sweat and you don't get hairy…." Dempsey tried to read her as he marshalled his defence "…come on it was stuffed at the back of your bathroom cabinet"

Harry furrowed her brow, screwed up her face on one side and imagined the pink lady shave in his hand "Dempsey we're talking about personal things here"

"You ain't used that for years princess – I had to wash the dust off"

"You do know that's grounds for divorce"

"Don't we have to get married first?" Dempsey teased

Harry rolled her eyes and smirked; she shook her head and sat back into the soft white leather, Dempsey followed suit.

"You have prepared your speech" Harry suddenly panicked

"Harry…you're nagging…" Dempsey warned and as he breathed out he pontificated "Marriage ain't a word it's a sentence!"

"Well it would be for your wife!"

"They say Marriage is the triumph of imagination over intelligence."

"Ah hum" Makepeace assented in a low murmur "And second marriage is the triumph of hope over experience."

"So are you hopeful eh Makepeace?"

"No Dempsey I'm experienced"

"Well let's forget the marriage stuff – what do you say to living together"

Harry pondered a moment "Tell me Dempsey why is it always the guy that moves in?"

"'Cos his laundry's round there and it saves taking it home"

Harry snorted; the car drew up outside the church and Dempsey actually put his jacket on. Instinctively Harry folded his collar down, repositioned his tie and told him 'for gods sake remember you're the best man'

"Harry…you're nagging…"

By the time it came to the speeches Dempsey had the undivided attention of both of Alice's sisters, two of her old school friends, her neighbour's sister as well as Chas' cousins and an old family friends daughter. Thus when he stood and began his speech "The trouble with being the best man at a wedding is that you never get to prove it" Makepeace curled up, Spikings rolled his eyes and three wolf whistles came forth from his female admirers.  
Harry prayed fervently and without hope that he would be brief, but at the end of her prayer she could still hear Dempsey "Personally I don't know why a man would want to get married – after all up until that point he has no faults!" The trouble was that now it wasn't just the female fan club lapping up his words but half the room "Now you see I have another friend" Dempsey was energised by the rapt attention he commanded "who told me he hadn't spoken to his wife for 18 months…." He held his pause in perfect timing "…'cos he didn't want to interrupt her!" The raucous laughter from the men was joined by Spikings and Harry realised that she was onto a loser. There was a tiny bit about how Chas and Dempsey had hooked up when he first arrived from the States and some warm comments describing nights in the pub that Harry found insightful and then Dempsey turned to his conclusion "finally" he announced "There are obviously two very important people here today without whom very little of this would have been possible." Harry sighed with relief "And the great thing is that as the evening progresses, most of us will get to spend more and more time talking with them. So please join me in a very special toast – to the bar staff!"  
Harry screwed up her mouth as she conceded his brilliance, she joined the rest of the room in applause and stood to toast the bridesmaids as deftly redirected by Dempsey.  
The Fry, Dave and Tony 'let's be like Dempsey club' all slapped him on the back when Dempsey moved over to join the rest of the SI10 team; Dempsey however looked to Harry who observed that he had 'made a lot of fans'. She glanced across the room, it didn't seem to matter in what direction – from every angle someone seemed to be watching Dempsey.

"So what do you think partner?" he asked as he slid into the space next to Harry

"That sometimes I question my own sanity"

"And what does your sanity reply?"

"That I'm absolutely mad"

"You know I have that self same problem"

"They loved you" she tipped her head as she spoke

Dempsey gave out a satisfied grunt and sat back comfortably. Harry noted the approaching gaggle of women "I think your harem awaits"

Dempsey grinned "George Bernard Shaw said 'It is a woman's business to get married as soon as possible, and a man's to keep unmarried as long as he can'"

"Very learned" Harry scorned light-heartedly "have you actually read any Shaw?"

"Sure – on a bumper sticker"

Harry couldn't ignore the women giggling and nudging each other like pathetic school girls "I think you're wanted on the dance floor Dempsey" she pushed

"You coming?" he asked brightly

Harry looked at the expectant huddle "I don't think so"

Dempsey shrugged, he would never get the measure of Makepeace, he tapped Dave on the shoulder "you wanna dance with the girls?"

Dempsey slung his body next to Harry who was sitting down again on the seat running the length of the back wall "You know there was this man – he put an ad in the classifieds: 'Wife wanted'. Next day he received a hundred letters, they all say the same thing: 'You can have mine!"

Harry reluctantly smiled. Dempsey kicked his feet up onto a chair; he leaned back next to Harry "There was another bumper sticker – Many a man in love with a dimple makes the mistake of marrying the whole girl" he thought for a few moments "Why would you want to get married Harry?"

"Who me in particular or people in general?"

"I dunno – you – why did you get married Harry?"

"Seem a good idea at the time"

"And when did it seem a bad idea?"

"On my honeymoon"

"Whoops"

"Whoops indeed - Would you ever get married Dempsey?"

"You'd never ask me"

"No I mean to anyone – would you?"

"Seems a bit too institutionalised for me"

They fell into silence surveying the room in front and then because she was quite drunk Makepeace asked "So which one are you taking home?"

"Which one?"

"I've counted 9 women chasing you Dempsey – who's scored?"

"Do you take me for a fool?" he asked

"A red blooded male" she admitted

"Harry" he sighed at her naivety "they're either relatives of Chas or Alice or their friends – I never play that close to home" She turned to look at him; he put his arm around her shoulder and drew her into his side "Can we go home" he asked to her inordinate surprise "only I'm bushed"


	3. Chapter 3

It had been a long 36 hours and although it was mid afternoon Makepeace was zonked out on her sofa, her cup of tea cold; the door bell failed to wake her.

The window opening produced a high pitch sound of wood rubbing on wood, the familiar sound penetrated Makepeace's dream and the shadow of a man climbing through the window woke her

"What the hell…" she admonished with incredulity

"I didn't think you were in" Dempsey raised his shoulders and widened his eyes in fake innocence

"You bloody idiot I could have shot you" with no evidence of her gun Harry stood with both her hands resting on her hips

Dempsey laughed "I spooked you"

"If you woke to see a monster breaking into your home…"

"Huh – so you were spooked"

"I wasn't spooked…"

"Your hearts beating fast"

"You can't possibly know" Makepeace was tossing her head

"It shows in how you breathe"

"Dempsey why are you breaking into my home?" Makepeace demanded sidestepping his observations

"You didn't answer the door"

Harry marched across the room, retrieved her handbag and ferreted around inside it; Dempsey watched her back whilst she let out a stream of frustration "bloody man, no brain, neighbours, scuff marks" were the words he caught. She looked to the still open window and felt the cold draft whistle through "I have the heating on because I like my home warm" she berated still fishing in the depths of her bag

"I don't see the problem" Dempsey was chewing on his inner lip and smiling

"You invade my property without invitation" as she looked up at him she added "A G A I N!" in exasperation "And I've had enough"

Dempsey just shrugged "You weren't in"

"I was I just didn't want disturbing"

"I'll go" he made to leave

"What was so important that it couldn't wait?" Harry was forced to ask

"Nothin"

"Fine" she protested "I'll see you tomorrow" Dempsey tilted his head waiting for whatever would be following "Oh and by the way I got you this" Harry tossed the Yale key towards him; he turn it in his hands, actually silenced for a brief moment

"You got me a key cut?" he checked "for here?"

"An impulse" Harry made an inward note to herself that she had a habit of doing foolish things on impulse when she was angry _(A week ago, after Makepeace had left from her contrived interview with Spikings as to her knowledge of the whereabouts of Dempsey, she had stopped off at the parade of shops that were Camberwell to replenish her fridge; next door to the greengrocer was a locksmith and her act of rebellion had taken less than 5 minutes.)_

"And you gave it to me?"

"Probably one of my more reckless actions" she admitted

"I like it"

"Don't go reading things that aren't in there" Harry suddenly panicked

"Wow, this is quite a moment" Dempsey was deliberately being devilish as his gaze ran around her body

"It's a key to the door Dempsey not to the bedroom"

He tossed the key around in his hand "So not the bedroom" he confirmed; he tossed it a few more times as he contemplated her words before responding

"That's ok we don't have to use the bedroom" he leered

"Dempsey just go!"  
The front door slammed shut, not out of anger just his usual carelessness. Harry made to shut the window and as she did so she found the bag. It was large, it was Harvey Nicholls, it had a small gift tag that simply said IOU in Dempsey's scrawl. She lifted the dress out "Damn you Dempsey" she announced as she admired his choice.

It was about 7.00pm when Harry stood in front of the mirror admiring the sleek lines of her new dress; she held up her diamond choker and decided that it, with the pendant diamond earrings, would set the look off nicely. She jolted as a thought shot through her consciousness – dress and an expensive meal…. He wouldn't have? Would he? He didn't need to, he hadn't really needed to buy the dress – Dempsey's freedom was priceless; she couldn't dismiss the idea now the seed was firmly embedded, Harry gave in to the germinating notion and dialled 437 6828

"I'd like to confirm a booking" she began

….

"Well that's just the reason I know it's really silly but I can't quite remember if it is for tonight or tomorrow night"

…..

"In the name of Dempsey"

"It seems it was tomorrow but it has been cancelled" the polite voice informed her

Harry swallowed the wave of disappointment with a polite "Thank you" 'well what did you expect' she reprimanded herself 'you threw him out with so much as a thank you' but the gentleman on the phone had flicked back to the list of bookings for that night and started to explain that the person taking the booking had made a mistake and written the correct booking in for 8.00pm that night.  
Makepeace had replaced the phone and poured herself a glass of wine as commiseration before the words of the receptionist echoed through her consciousness; she sipped the sweet vouvray and smiled.

It was gone 8.15 when Harry pushed the door open of L'Escargot and was shown upstairs to the Picasso Room where Dempsey was waiting. He stood as she came in, bowled over by her beauty "You wore it" he observed as they sat down.

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Well…"

"Dempsey - thank you"  
"Harry – thank you"  
Their words of gratitude flowed over each other causing them both to giggle nervously

"I know I said the stuff about partners 'n all" Dempsey began again "but I really did appreciate you being there"

"You didn't have to…" Harry looked down at the dress and then around the restaurant in indication of her meaning

"I wanted to"

"Thank you" she said again "did you choose it?"

"I went to that place you took me before and asked them to bring me some dresses to choose from – just like you did"

"Remind me to take you shopping again Dempsey" Harry laughed

"Hell I ain't made of money" Dempsey protested "I was told this saying at Chas' wedding" he continued "apropos money: A successful husband is one who makes more money than his wife can spend" he looked at the fit of the dress across her shoulders, her neck elongated by the choker, the diamond earrings "I think that's you and me done for princess"

It was at the end of the meal, as they drank Coffee and ate the Petit Fours that Harry ventured her question 'she had an invite to a charity ball at Hughenden Manor, High Wycombe' 'hosted by family friends' 'she had two tickets' 'she wondered if Dempsey would…' 'like to' she nearly said but deciding that sounded too… too what she didn't know ' if Dempsey would mind coming along'

"Are you asking me on date Makepeace" Dempsey grinned maliciously

"No, No – most certainly not" she blushed and stammered slightly "It was only that…"

"Only that's my job" Dempsey teased noting her discomfort; an awkward silence fell "You ready to go?" he checked "Only I thought maybe we would go rob a bank - this place and your dress shop – they're not exactly cheap"

Makepeace looked him straight in the eye "And you still owe me £300" she pointed out.

They emerged into the crisp cold evening "So when are we going on this date?" Dempsey taunted

"It's not a date" Harry re-iterated fiercely

"So when 'we going on this non-date then?"

"You haven't said if you want to come"

"Family friends?" he checked "Lords and Ladies?"

"Viscounts, Earls and even a Duke and Duchess" Harry looked at Dempsey becoming slightly panic stricken at what she might have done "You'll have to be on your best behaviour"


	4. Chapter 4

**This takes place at the end of the scene outside 'The Willows' (we're in The Prizefighter now if you want to watch that one) and thanks to Helen for encouraging me to start here**

Dempsey did the car window up

"See!" pointed out Makepeace

"See what?" asked Dempsey belligerently

"We scored a direct hit"

"We nearly scored an own goal"

"Rubbish everyone has loads of ancestral names – go back to your great grandparents and there are 8 family names" Makepeace justified

"Du Pres" Dempsey scorned "what about 'Smith' or 'Jones'" he suggested disparagingly "regular names of regular people"

"And not a cat in hells chance of tracing anyone" Makepeace disdained "we're Mr and Mrs Du Pres, your mother was Barrett – No problem"

"No problem?" Dempsey questioned

"No problem" Makepeace reiterated

"And Duane?" Dempsey asked

"An everyday American name" Makepeace cited vehemently

"I hate the name Duane – It's crass" Dempsey protested

"Well what would you have?"

"Robert"

"I've been married to one of those before" was Makepeace's sardonic reply

"Ronald, Larry, Michael…." Dempsey reeled off

"Michael's not very American" Harry jumped in

"It is" Dempsey objected "I had a friend called Michael…." He delved back into some childhood memories ".. Michael….. Feldman" he finally recalled "I wonder what happened to him?"

Makepeace had no interest in his childhood but she was getting wound up "Excuse me" she cut in "- you object to me coming up with a posh surname and a common Christian name – where's the consistency in that?" she demanded

"And you're challenging me on consistency?" incredulous Dempsey noted Harry's blank stare "we left the office 'just good friends' as you had dictated and now, it seems, we're married!"

"That was your suggestion" Harry defended

"You countered it"

"Well we argue like we're married" Harry was sitting with her arms folded across her chest and it brought a smile to Dempsey's face, he had to agree they did argue well. He held his silence

"Aren't you going to say anything?"

"Nope"

"It's not like you to give in"

"I'm not"

"So?"

"So?"

"So what's with the silence?"

"You're inconsistent, make stupid mistakes and _never" _he emphasized that bit "admit when you're wrong but whatever happens, being a woman, somehow you will always have the last word" he waited for her to follow in, he just knew she wouldn't be able to resist

"And at this precise moment in time I'm supposedly married to Mr Right" she looked straight into his eyes with an accusatory stare "I just never knew your first name was always!"

Dempsey engaged first gear and spun the wheels muttering "Married men might well live longer than us bachelors but I sure know why they're more willing to die!"

"Where are we going to?" Makepeace queried as Dempsey turned towards the West End rather than south London.  
"Well since we're all dressed up will Stringfellows do?"

* * *

Dempsey dropped Harry off at the front of the nightclub before he attempted to find somewhere to park. It was twenty minutes later when he walked down the stairs and stopped under a large spinning mirror ball whilst he scanned the room. His first sight was a reflection of Harry's back as she leaned into a small group of the guys; sensing a little déjà vu he turned towards the bar and approached the grouping with a grin lighting his face. The ensemble seemed to have a couple of bottles of wine and one of champagne on the go; Dempsey signalled with his hand and an empty glass was passed to him, he filled it with champagne.

"So you're not robbing banks tonight?" Basil bantered

"A bit to expensive" Dempsey smirked and glanced at Harry

"You remember Basil, Matthew and Graham don't you?" Harry checked

"Yeh, we met last summer didn't we" Dempsey confirmed

"And Henry, Louise…."

"Angela and Annabelle" Dempsey cut in proving his point

Angela glanced from Harry to Dempsey and back to Harry, raising her eyebrows in a silent question. Harry crossed her hands and threw them apart in an emphatic 'NO'

"Look at you two dressed to the nines – where've you been?" asked Louise

"Cocktails at 'The Willows'"

"Oh nice"

"Well it was work really"

"I wish I had your job if all I had to do was drink cocktails on a night out"

"And pretend to be married to him" Makepeace mocked

"Interesting!" Angela perked up forcing Harry to groan "So how's married life?" Angela asked with interest

"Discordant"

Angela turned to Dempsey again "So what's the problem Jim?"

Dempsey shrugged "no point in me keeping a list, the wife don't forget nothing"

Harry rolled her eyes "See – I told you – Marital bliss"

"I seem to remember you saying something about me being Mr Right" Dempsey flirted, wrapping his arm around Harry's waist. Harry slipped out "Mr Always Right – and it wasn't a compliment" she grinned as she added "nor true"

"I'll help you practice married" Angela pushed herself up against Dempsey who coughed nervously

"So what's this cover?" Basil asked Dempsey

"We're over here looking up my family tree" Dempsey shifted into some free space

"Harry married a yank?" Graham checked with a smile knowing how implausible that would be in real life

"Nah, Makepeace does a mean American accent"

"My sugar pie Duane" Harry faked with quite a heavy southern drawl and they all roared with laughter. "Duane aren't you gonna ask me to dance?" Harry brushed her finger down his cheek and dragged Dempsey onto the dance floor.

Dempsey decided to take the opportunity afforded him and placed both hands on Harry's tiny waist. He moved slowly and rhythmically in front of her surreptitiously raking his hands upwards "How about some married kissin?" he suggested with a low growl

"Oh Duane" she kept the American voice and smiled mischievously fluttering her lashes deliberately "You played that one wrong Honey"

Dempsey looked bemused "Lovers kiss, married couples hold hands" she announced ordinarily and once again she wriggled out of his clutches, but she did stay dancing opposite him.  
Two songs later Dempsey returned to the bar and poured Harry a ridiculously full flute of champagne; he held it up to indicate it was hers and ready. Harry gave him a thumbs up in acknowledgement but didn't move off the dance floor for another three songs. Dempsey watched her; despite his low opinion of the dress, she had many better in his opinion, she still looked stunning.  
Angela tried again; she sidled up to Dempsey and leaned back to expose more of her cleavage guessing correctly that he wouldn't be able to resist the view. "We could have an affair?" she whispered and sipped some of Harry's champagne, her hand trailing Dempsey's arm. Dempsey turned to lean against the bar brushing against Angela

"You know of a good hotel?"

Almost instantaneously Harry somehow managed to squeeze her arm through separating the two of them as she reached for her glass of champagne. "I think we'll have to be a little more discrete next time" Dempsey mouthed and Angela laughed and this time directed her interest back to Harry "I think Jim's trying to get you drunk" she nodded towards the glass "he filled it to the brim"

"Well now my man would never try to do a thing like that" Harry drawled in her best southern accent as she ran her hand over Dempsey's back and down his arm "He don't like it when I kiss my car goodnight and not him" her hand slipped of his arm and squeezed his behind. She ran her fingers lightly up his back "Do you think you could ask the barman for another of those cocktails Sweetie Pie, I think they might have the pineapple here" she broke contact with him "and I do so want to try the real thing"

Dempsey called the barman over and Angela's knees turned to jelly as she listened to Jim give the instructions and then pass her one of the two he had requested.

Harry drunk a little of hers and watched Angela play with the cherry as she hooked Dempsey's attention "I got one of them too" she drawled.

At the sound of her American voice Dempsey turned his attention to Harry who very deliberately toyed with the cherry and then making her mouth into a perfect circle she slowly teased the cherry in and as she withdrew the cocktail stick she moaned "No one can do it quite like my man"

Angela burst out laughing "That's it, I concede defeat"

"You like my man?" Harry was in such full swing her Southern drawl was flowing "He's sure real handsome" her fingers were drawing down his cheek again. Harry took some more of her cocktail flicking her gaze between Dempsey and Angela "And he moves real well"

Dempsey ran his finger around his unbutton collar and cautiously slipped his arm back around Harry's waist and nuzzled her neck.

"Ohhh Sweetheart" Harry didn't push him away "I'm right tired now"

Dempsey wasn't sure how to read that one

"I think we should go home to bed"

"Sugar pie you know me, I love my bed" Dempsey thickened his drawl

"Well let's go find it Honey" Harry took his hand and led Dempsey up the stairs.

Outside in the fresh air Dempsey squeezed her hand and started to move right down the road and towards the car. Harry broke away "Duane" she continued in cover "You see them cars?"

Dempsey stopped and nodded "Them's taxis and I'm gonna get one home"


	5. Chapter 5

Dempsey left the dragons den and the fierce sister who he was sure ate innocent victims for lunch. He sat down next to Makepeace and complained "Just a load of stupid questions"

"I'm sure they weren't stupid"

"I've gotta wait and see the doctor" Dempsey paused "You know Makepeace I'm sure I'd be better off at home, this place gives you a headache even if you never had one to start with

"Well I think it's a wise precaution" Harry insisted

"A waste of time" Dempsey griped; he sat sullenly by himself and silent. Harry picked up a magazine and ignored him, she didn't bother looking up when his name was called.

"My name's Gail and the doctor has asked me to check your vision" the staff nurse explained

"My friends call me Jim" Dempsey grinned at the pretty nurse – her hair being clipped back revealed her long neck, prominent collar bone and drew attention to her high cheeks and pretty brown eyes. She was a doll and Dempsey had this thing about nurses….

"Just read the letters please" the nurse instructed Dempsey.

He screwed up his eyes, closed them, open them and blinked; he felt more than a little worried but started to read: "T, O, O, M, U, C…"

The nurse looked up at the letter chart T,O,Y,H,U,V were in black and white in front of her; she wasn't quite sure, she looked back at the patient but his next pronouncements were nothing like the 4th and 5th rows she knew off by heart

"H, S, E, X, M, A…" he paused briefly to check in his mind where he'd got up to

"It doesn't" the nurse pronounced

"It doesn't what?" Dempsey's lopsided smile still lit his face and Nurse Gail Kerven grinned as she replied "make you short sighted"

"You know I'm glad you said that 'cos I was real worried about needing glasses next week" he winked "if you get my meaning"

She tipped her chin and looked up at her patient again with a blush – oh she knew exactly what he meant "Do you think we could keep to the script" she suggested

"What the one where you check my phone number is correct?" he smoothed

Almost involuntarily she flipped the Casualty Card over and read the number back to him

"Yep that's right" he leaned forward to read her name badge "Nurse Kerven"

"Just read me the chart" she requested as she regained self control

"T, Y, O" he pattered off and then struggled "V, U, H" he stopped as he struggled on the third line

"And the other eye" she instructed without looking up

"H, U, W, O, X" Dempsey succeeded in reading a couple lines better

"Now if you care to wait outside" Nurse Kerven trotted out her instructions with her eyes still down. Dempsey stood and then held onto the table to steady himself, his action was caught out of the corner of her eye.

"Are you feeling ok sir?"

"Sure" he said at the same time shaking his head to try and clear the swimming world in front of him. Dempsey sat back down a moment and took a deep breath.

"Let me just check your pupils" the nurse produced a pen torch and leaned into his face as she watched the eyes react poorly to the light. Dempsey didn't help because he kept looking at the pretty face in front of him. As she tilted her head to be certain of her observations Dempsey tilted his head in the opposite direction "We don't want to be bashing noses" he seduced

"You have a headache?" the nurse checked ignoring the comment

"I ain't never used that as an excuse" Dempsey protested

"How bad is the headache?" she persisted

"Do you know what it's like when you've had a few whisky chasers, a couple of pints, half a bottle of red wine, some champagne and a couple of tequila cocktails?" Despite his head Dempsey's gaze grazed the staff nurses face and upper body

"I don't do the pints" Gail admitted before she realised she'd be sucked back into the forbidden zone

"Well this headache is worse than a humdinger of a Saturday night hangover"

"But you've not been drinking today?"

"Not yet"

"Can you walk across the room?"

"Sure" Dempsey didn't move though

"I need you to do it Mr Dempsey"

"I need you to do it with me" Dempsey growled. Never the less he stood and held onto the desk again "How far is it to the toilets?" he asked as beads of sweat started to burst forth on his brow.

"Through the door and turn right" Nurse Gail Kerven watched Dempsey go and left herself to find the doctor and relay her concerns.

Makepeace looked up from the outdated copy of Hello as she sensed Dempsey plop down on the seat next to her. "What did they say?"

"Nothin to worry about – like I said"

"So can we go?" Harry checked as she started to gather her discarded coat and scarf

"Mr James Dempsey" the doctor called

"Seems not" Dempsey stood and balanced himself before stepping forward again. He had made his way painfully slowly just over half distance to the examination room when a porter walked past him.

"You alright now mate?" the porter asked cheerfully, mainly out of habit

"Fighting fit" Dempsey bantered back

"Well if you feel sick again just ask the gorgeous Nurse Gale and she'll give you a basin thing"

"Don't worry it was just a one off" Dempsey called back; he swayed as he lost concentration on the walking whilst he did the talking. Makepeace was up on her feet.

"Was that the first time you vomited sir?" the doctor asked. Harry knew that Dempsey was about to lie; she shook her head vigorously at the doctor

"First time" Dempsey confirmed; Harry coughed loudly just behind his left ear "since I got here" he added as a get out clause.

Would you like your wife to come in?" Doctor Fielding asked

Dempsey shrugged, he was beginning to sway noticeably and the doctor took his arm to steady him and nodded to Harry to join the consultation. Doctor Fielding read through the notes "Fighting is never good for your health and a waste of the British taxpayers money – whilst over here you might at least like to use some head protection." Fielding was all for charging patients like Dempsey for the costs of their health treatment and was very frustrated by the stupidity of at least half the people that seemed to pass unnecessarily through his casualty department.

"Um" Makepeace butted in "We are undercover police officers and this was work!"

It forced an apology before Dr Fielding continued "So can you tell me what happened"

"I lost" Dempsey was a bit to basic and a tad too rude Makepeace thought "He took a dozen blows to the head in a bare knuckle fight" she informed the doctor as she started to notice his chiselled features.

"Was he knocked out?"

"Only for a few seconds, if at all – We worked for about an hour clearing the scene and then as we drove home he complained about his headache and fell asleep"

"Would that be normal?" The doctor addressed Makepeace rather than Dempsey.

Harry ticked the points off against her finger tips "Complaining in general – yes, falling asleep – yes, hangovers – yes but not the headache or the nausea; just before we hit the A202 I had to stop the car for him to throw up and as he was still complaining about the headache I thought it best to come here" Makepeace had her best report giving voice on.

"Do you have any other symptoms?" the doctor addressed Dempsey

"I'll be fine" Dempsey insisted

"Nurse Kerven tells me your vision is down"

Dempsey launched into orbit "I've got the headache from hell, I'm about to spew again, I'm dizzy when I stand and it's taking me all my bloody effort not to fall over! I feel pissed off, dog tired, I can't even actually remember the damn fight and I just want to go home – so what now!"

The doctor pulled a sheet of paper from the rack and started to fill it in, "A CT scan" he answered as he wrote "We need to check that there's no brain haemorrhage"

"And then can I go home?" Dempsey pleaded

"That depends" was the non committal reply


	6. Chapter 6

"Thanks" Dempsey said gruffly as he opened the passenger door "I know I was a bit of a pain in the ass"

Makepeace tipped her head sideways – a bit was an understatement; she stopped the engine and made to get out. Dempsey looked surprised, his mouth opened

"Don't start" Harry warned "the condition of not being kept in was that you wouldn't be home alone"

Dempsey leaned on the car for support and Harry turned to face him across the roof

"They said there was no bleeding" Dempsey offered first attack

"They said they wanted you under observation"

"I've got a headache – I've had worse"

"You've got concussion – it could get worse"

"It won't – I ain't no girl" Dempsey was actually getting angry

"I'm not leaving you here…." The bit about not being a girl registered "Dempsey you are egotistical, chauvinistic, bigoted…."

"I ain't asking you to stay"

"Oh I'm staying" Harry's nostrils flared "– you can't get rid of me that easily Lieutenant – I ain't no girl!"

"Don't I know it" Dempsey sulked

"Well that's praise indeed" Harry marched up to the door but lost impetus when she struggled with the key "You should get a lock that turns the right way" she protested indignantly as Dempsey placed his hand over hers and turned the key counter clockwise.

* * *

"You found that coffee?" Dempsey moaned, slunk across the kitchen table, cradling his head

Harry put a mug of strong black Nescafe in front of him and sat back to sip her own.

"There's some tablets somewhere"

Makepeace took the inference and opened several cupboards, Dempsey watched her pass on to the cupboard that he knew housed crockery; he dragged himself to the second of the cupboards Harry had passed by and raked around "This is what I want" he declared as he pulled out the box of aspirin

"You can't take those" Harry warned

"They're for headaches"

"The doctor said Ibuprofen or paracetamol, Aspirin thin the blood – they might make your brain bleed!" Makepeace argued

"Might stop this blinding throbbing torture" Dempsey took two as he spoke

"Well if you bleed to death don't blame me" Makepeace was furious with him

"I'll come and haunt you" he jested without much conviction and wandered off announcing 'that he was going to bed' and 'that she could make herself at home'

Harry let him go, she found the supply of drinks and pouring herself a G&T she flicked the TV on. It was later than she had thought and the nine o'clock news was full of the latest pay disputes; five minutes later she switched it off, the stress of her own day was beginning to emerge and she sat with her own thoughts considering how they had got here and the two differing roles of chance and skill and how they played their hands.

Her mind rewound to the journey home from Hughenden Manor, she smiled as she recalled the debate of champagne versus bath essence – now that was an idea! Harry made a foray into the bathroom and there was the said bottle of Joie de Vie looking out of place nestled in with Lynx shower gel, Boots own brand shampoo, many deodorant sprays - she guessed most were waiting to be binned given the amount of rust around some. There was also some rather smart aftershave; she uncapped the aftershave and wafted it under her nose – yep that was Dempsey.

A quick survey noted bath towels and even a towelling robe; Harry started the bath running and raided the wine rack. As she slipped into the perfumed water through the bubbles and sipped the Californian wine it amused her to think of Dempsey's ignorance.

She had topped the hot water up and started on a second glass of wine and was beginning to consider that it might be time to get out of the bath and check on Dempsey when he walked in, straight past the bath and relieved himself. Alarmed Harry slid down into the water, allowing her knees to show in preference to any other part of her body and waited. The flow ceased and Dempsey adjusted the waistband of his boxers; as he return to bed his startled reaction broke his stride.

"How's the headache?" Harry asked with a fake brightness

Dempsey stopped and considered the question and the situation "Better" he decided "I can scrub your um…" he noted her knees "legs for you" Harry stayed slung down to her chin in the water willing him to go, Dempsey just carried on with uncontrollable verbal Diarrhoea "Uh look I'm sorry about… only I'd completely forgotten… I'm not used to…."

"Well I think you should just go back to bed" Harry's acute embarrassment shone through her words and now Dempsey was just standing - marvelling at Harry in _his _bath

"Dempsey" but Harry failed to nudge him out of his stupor

"Dempsey" he seemed frozen to the bathroom floor; she tried plan B and stared directly at his crotch

"Bed" Dempsey reiterated and left in a panic

Harry smiled; she slid upwards a little and finished her glass of wine before climbing into the green and blue stripped towelling robe.

It took nearly 20 minutes to clear the bed, habitually she folded shirts, T shirts, jeans, boxers and paired up socks, making separate piles of ironing and non. There were sports bags and two pairs of trainers but once finally clear the only items missing were pillow, sheets and blankets. Harry looked with dread at the wardrobe in the corner of the room 'in for a penny in for a pound' she declared to no one and tentatively pulled the door open anticipating the cascade of contents onto the only clear patch of floor. There was none; she opened the door and peered into the empty cupboard before closing it with a sigh

The creak of the bedroom door opening registered in Dempsey's superficial sleep; his throbbing head still holding him away from the deep sleep that he yearned. He was vaguely aware of Harry creeping around his bed and lifting the pillow that he wasn't using; she held it against her chest as she scanned the room trying to guess where he kept the spare linen. Her first and second guesses were both wrong and now she tugged on a large drawer which creaked and groaned with resistance.

"You're under arrest" Dempsey yawned and pushing his fingers back through his hair as he sat up asked "what the hell are you doing"

"Looking for something to make up the spare bed with"

"It's covered with junk"

"Not now"

"Ugh" Dempsey groaned – he had a system – unique, but still a system

"Do you have another quilt? Blankets? Anything to keep me warm?"

"There's room in here" he threw back his quilt and offered the warm bed sheets "and by the way that nurse told me that it's ok – sex don't make you short sighted"

As she listened Makepeace had to marvel at Dempsey's ability to try it on at every turn no matter what "I could have told you that" she informed him rather superiorly

"Oh yeh?" Dempsey slid upright and Harry noted his interest, she contemplated her options and chose "I can see very well without any glasses" she purred

Dempsey growled "You wanna double check that"

Makepeace shook her head, expecting nothing else "Uh Uh"

Dempsey gave up easily, his head still bothering him "They're in the bathroom cupboard"

Harry blinked a few times "of course, why not" she shrugged. As she was just about to leave she turned back "How's the head?"

"Could use another pill"

"And your vision"

"Seems pretty good right now" he still managed to leer.

* * *

Dempsey winked one eye and then the other, both seemed to be able to read the clock; he stood and he didn't sway or need to hold onto the bed; his headache was still there but it had faded dramatically. He made himself a double strength coffee and took two aspirin, the combination of which finally killed any lingering discomfort.

He was whistling and murdering some scrambled egg when a beleaguered Harry emerged.

"You're better" she observed

"Mornin Princess – you want eggs?"

"Are you offering to cook me breakfast?"

"Or just toast?"

"Are those eggs in date?" Harry nodded towards the egg box and its contents

"In date?" Dempsey questioned

"Yes Dempsey – how long have you had them?" she moved in and picked up the box to read the date

"I got them a couple of days ago" he defended

"You never have food in"

"I got brown bread with the bits in that you like and Frank Coopers Marmalade" he watched as Harry walked towards the fridge "but I've eaten the muffins and croissants" Harry opened the fridge as Dempsey continued to explain that 'he'd got some of those brown mushrooms that she went on about'

"So you got stood up!" Harry surmised as she studied a fridge that had food in

"Kind off" Dempsey admitted as he turned his eggs out onto the toast and passed them across

Harry took the plate "Thanks"


End file.
